The CAMS compound has received a couple new residents in the past two weeks. With Liz having moved to the other compound I was left as the only American, but as of today I am not alone! Peter, who will be teaching at CAMS for an indefinite amount of time, arrived from Dar today. We were also joined by Brian Atkins from Stratford upon Avon in the UK who has arrived for a 7 week stay in Dodoma. Brian is the Business Advisor for the diocese and plays a large role in the finances and organization of the Carpenter’s Kids. He spends a few months out of every year in Dodoma, and he has once again moved into his small apartment in the CAMS compound. Immediately upon arriving he set to work resolving any issues we have been dealing with in the office, and he is a very aggressive worker. When he sets out to do something it gets done, usually with a speed unparalleled in Tanzania! It’s been nice having a new neighbor in the compound, though he doesn’t seem to spend much time here. He is constantly off meeting with various people in the diocese, and for a man in his 70s he sure has a lot of energy!
Much of last week in the Carpenter’s Kids office was spent with Roger and Angela Turner who arrived from the UK to film a promotional video about the Diocese of Central Tanganyika. Roger worked for BBC for many years and has generously given of his time and skills to shoot and prepare the film. Carpenter’s Kids has been given the opportunity to appear in this video, and thus last week was spent traveling around the diocese with Roger and Angela in order to record the various activities of the program.
On Thursday morning Roger, Angela, Liz, Brian, and I set out for Intuka Primary School about 30 minutes outside of Dodoma. We were there to film the Mama Lishes – the women who volunteer to make the children breakfast – serving breakfast to the 50 Carpenter’s Kids whom attend the school. We were met by a large group of school children, and the teachers had quite a hard time gathering them back into their classrooms. While we waited for the children to have their morning break when they would be served br
eakfast we visited some of the classrooms. The classrooms of what would be equivalent to 4th or 5th grade in the US were of a relatively manageable size, and though they were a bit crowded, all the students had a desk and chair. When we entered the classrooms of the younger children, however, I was astounded to see how crowded they were. In one small classroom there were 200 children, all sitting on the floor and using their laps as desks. While in the US we think that overcrowding and lack of teachers is a problem, it was nothing compared to the conditions in which these children learn. After visiting the classrooms we went and watched the Mama Lishes making the porridge in a huge cauldron, and I must admit it didn’t look very appetizing! When the children finally appeared for their break they neatly lined up – girls on one side, boys on the other – and took turns taking a small plastic mug in to get their porridge. They then sat on the ground to eat it, but it was quite some time before it cooled off enough to eat. The pot of porridge was still half full after all the children had been served, and many went back for more. We were told that they received 20 minutes for their break, but they definitely were given longer than that on the day we were there. We couldn’t help but wonder whether they were usually given the opportunity to get the second cup they are meant to receive, as it seemed that by the time the porridge cooled enough to eat they would be called back to their classrooms. This small meal is all these children would eat for the most of the day. We were told by the principal that many parents can only feed their children dinner in the evenings. The parents go out and work all day in order to have enough money to buy food for their families that evening. It is scary to think of how many people here earn and spend their money one day at a time, and it definitely makes you thankful for the lives of privilege we lead.Friday and Saturday were both occupied with very, very long distributions. The two villages we visited on these days – Lufuto and Chilonwa – had been informed that filming for a video would be taking place, and thus they held nothing back in preparing for our visit. On Friday we visited Lufuto where we listened to various choir groups sing and dance, and we had been sitting there for three hours before we even began the actual distribution! Just when we thought there couldn’t possibly be any more singing, choir after choir would file up to have their turn. Though the music here is beautiful and their dancing is very entertaining, the hot church and uncomfortable chairs meant that we had all reached our limit of tolerance by the end! As always, however, it is wonderful to see how happy and excited the people are at our being there, and we are always welcomed with such warmth and hospitality. Everyone in our group was given fabric as a gift, which they presented to each of us in turn and tied around us. Saturday was no different, and once again there was no shortage of choral entertainment for our enjoyment. Throughout the day we heard from 19 different groups, each of which had prepared one or two very lon
g choreographed songs. Being a new distribution, the people of Chilonwa had come out to the event in huge numbers. As their church building was not completed we were seated outside, shielded from the sun by a cornhusk roof. It was almost unbearably hot under the shade, but I definitely had sympathy for the hundreds of people who were left standing in the sun for the 5 + hour duration of the distribution. Once again we were all given gifts, and Roger and Angela were even given a goat, which thankfully we left in Chilonwa to be cared for by the parish priest. I don’t think there would have been any room in the car for a goat on our ride back to Dodoma! Though the two days were extremely long and exhausting, I think the footage that Roger received will make a great addition to the diocesan video. Brian remarked several times that he wished he could bottle the music and liveliness of the atmosphere at these events. He said that you can’t know what it is like unless you’ve been there, which is definitely true. While my photos can capture a small fragment of the vivacity of a particular moment, they are nothing in comparison to the celebration which ensues at these events. They truly are remarkable experiences, and I’m trying to cherish each one.Sunday provided yet another opportunity for filming as we headed out to Pastor Noah’s parish church, Chadulu, to partake in his weekly service. His parish is in the middle of building one of the largest churches in Dodoma, though they are currently at a standstill due to lack of funds. They have poured the concrete foundation and begun pouring the second level, which is to be a balcony. There are no walls yet save for the concrete support beams which mark out the boundary of the walls. Despite its unfinished state, however, wooden benches and plastic chairs were gathered under a canvas tarp where the service would be held. As guests we were once again seated at the front of the church beside the small table which was serving as the altar. The couple hundred children attending the service were seated on the floor to the left of the altar, and Liz kept them entertained by taking their photos during the two hour service. Liz and I were recruited to follow the Swahili readers with an English reading of the first and second lessons, and it was nice to take part in the service. Though the service was in Swahili it was much closer to what I’m used to from home, and I was able to somewhat follow along from the book Pastor Noah held next to me. The service would not be complete without the drums and singing of the church’s multiple choirs, and the visitors were once again presented with small gifts. At the end of the service we filed out to shake the church leaders’ hands, and we were then directed to get in line beside them so that the congregation could shake our hands. Literally hundreds of people, children included, passed by to shake our hands, after which they would join the end of the line and shake hands with everyone else who came after. The last person out of the church had quite the job, as they then had to slowly make their way down the line, shaking hands with everyone who had been in the service! It was quite a site to see, and I can’t imagine that ever happening at home!
I have passed the 2 ½ month mark of being in Dodoma, meaning that in 6 months from today I will be back in Georgia. I still am amazed by how long it seems I have been here, and to think that I still have half a year to go is a little difficult to
absorb. I am definitely being challenged every day, and my strength and determination is being put to the ultimate test. I am humbled and astounded by the people who come to Dodoma – or to any foreign country really – and dedicate years of their life to volunteering and serving other people. Just the other day I came home to the two girls from Holland sitting outside in the courtyard, one of which was in tears. She had just talked to her parents and was suffering from a bout of homesickness, coupled with what sounded like the symptoms of the same illness I had shortly after I arrived. Though Dodoma is a wonderful place and we experience wonderful things on a daily basis, it is still a struggle to get by without the people you love close by. I’ve definitely come to find that for me, home is where the heart is, and I still miss it everyday!Thanks to the Grace Church staff for their thoughtful card. It definitely brightened my day!
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